large SXS rifle build

Evanguy

Evanguy

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this rifle is basically going to be the opposite of my 22 short sxs build, instead of small and slow it will be large and slow, although this one will be built o a shotgun.

i plan to use a 16 gauge for sxs for the base and then use the barrel set to make a mono block and then thread 2x 36" .577 barrels into it making a .577 snider double rifle. i also have 10 factory rounds, to try it with and then reload the brass, I'm going to make a bushing neck sizer fore the brass. i plan to use real black power in this build too.

I've been thinking about this project for a year now, i bought the barrels Nov 2023. but now with the other sxs rifle build finished its time to start this one.

there is a nice looking hammer gun with an underlever open. i think I'm going with that rifle. I'm going to make up my mind today and buy one.

first i wanted a box lock with a greener cross bolt but now I'm loving the idea of a hammer gun due to the age of the round and the aesthetic of the build., but now the under lever hammergun is really calling me.

if it wasn't French i would have already bought it, I'm not sure why i have a hang-up on a French gun chambered in a British round, what do you think



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I've had that book for years - never built up the courage to give it a try...
Saw a few double rifle conversions using that system, from .22Hornet up to British Express.
 
so i bought the French under lever hammer gun for this project, i was back and forth on what shotgun to use but realized when i couldn't find it for sale any more i was rally disappointed, only to realize i was in the 12g section lol. so clearly i wanted this one.

its funny i bought a Merkel sxs (cross bolt with side clips) for this exact reason about 6 years ago although at the time it was going to be 43 Mauser sxs. but the gun shoots so well as a shotgun i couldn't bring my self to touch it. it just hits what ever I'm looking at when i shoulder it.


and about regulating the barrel its not that hard just takes a lot of shots and soldering, i have a double rifle in 45-70 i need to regulate after i find a load for it. ill post lots on it when its happening


here is the rifle

https://intersurplus.com/collections/side-by-side/products/st-etienne-sxs-in-16ga-1

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watching with interest, nice looking shotgun there, a good start point
I think you mentioned on your first project what barrel liners you were using, but if you can refresh me
tia
I know of a real nice Pedersoli 12 ga hammer gun for sale, nicely engraved, but might be a bit rich for a conversion
 
conor_90 said:
Once you give it a shot let me know if you have any interest in regulating a German sxs for slugs...
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Wel lets see how these two I have go first lol. If it goes well I'd be open to helping you out.

Boxhitch, thanks I'm pretty excited about the underlever seem fitting for the time. Lots of people build double rifles on fancy shotguns, using the mono block method you could just make a second set of barrels for the receiver and just install bushings the firing holes.

The barrels I'm using arnt going to be liners. I plan to cut the factory barrel off so they are 3" long, ream and thread the chambers of the shotgun barrels then turn the outsides of the 577 barrels chamber area and thread it, then screw the barrels into the mono block.

The barrel I have are 36" snider barrels from Dec 1866 and Jan 1867. Both have clean bores and not much pitting. I may shorten them to 30" though
 
The shotgun is sitting in Port Moody, I haven't been to the mainland since this was delivered but I think I'm going to go get it Friday. I have everything I need for the build so one I get the gun in hand I'll be able to start and finish, hopefully in one go, opposed to letting it go on for years as I come and go from various projects.
 
well,

good news and bad news.

good news, i got my shotgun. bad news, its the wrong one.

this shotgun seems to be a Belgium 16g top lever with a 3rd hidden lock.

the gun is really nice. it has side clips on the chambers, 3 locking points, ejectors opposed to extractors, light weight (6 pounds even), feels and points really well. feels like fits me awesome. the only other feature it could have but doesnt is cocking indicators.

i really like it, so I'm going to see what the seller has to say, i want the under lever hammer gun really bad for the 577 snider.

this rifle seems like it should be chambered in something that isn't black powder (at 6 pounds it could be anything from 22 hornet to 45-70 (i already have a double rifle in 45-70 so t wont be that)), so if the seller doesnt offer anything but an exchange ill probably keep the gun, if they want to cover all shipping or give me $100 off the under lever ill keep/buy them both.

this gun feels so slender and small compared to my Suhl 12 gauge, i do love the feel of it, very fine feeling gun, as seen in pic 3


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That's a really nice gun

Honestly have always thought those east german guns would make nice rifles

The stocks are cut for shooting hares on the ground, have cheek pieces etc already.

Hurry up and practice so you can make one in 12 gauge for me lol
 
Londonshooter said:
Evan, why do you think made in Suhl and not Belgium?
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Although I did say that, I don't really think it anymore. It was before I looked at the proofs, I was looking through intersurplus website finding more of these same shotguns. They had these shotguns listed as simpson shul. But after looking at the proofs I can see it's not Suhl and it's Belgium.
 
Evanguy said:
Although I did say that, I don't really think it anymore. It was before I looked at the proofs, I was looking through intersurplus website finding more of these same shotguns. They had these shotguns listed as simpson shul. But after looking at the proofs I can see it's not Suhl and it's Belgium.
Click to expand...
I like Intersurplus but sometimes the ad descriptions are inaccurate, not that they mean to mislead anyone. I bought a British 20 gauge hammer gun listed as a 12 - was pretty happy about that. I learned it was a 20 after emailing them for more details. If they posted photos of the proofs with the other ad pics it would prevent any misunderstandings.
Of course then would need to ship out the correct gun.
 
Ok so I have some good, neutral, and bad news about this build.

The good news is I bought the gun that was shipped to me(pics in previous post), in addition to the under lever hammer gun I originally bought.the unexpected shotgun has side clips, 3 locking points, double bite and hidden cross bolt, made for smokeless and selective ejectors.

The neutral news is I got the 577 barrels turned and shortened for use in a 16 gauge shotgun. They are now 28" long and from the point they are 23.5mm diameter to the chamber the are turned straight. The 16 gauge shotgun barrels are 23.5mm diameter at the end of the water table. I removed 0.118" from the wides point on the 577 barrels. They were 26.5mm at the widest point before their threads.

The bad news is the under lever I bought for this project isn't going to workout. I'm glad to have it as it's a awesome handling, light weight, fast/easy pointing gun but better to use it for a smaller diameter case/bullet built. It's not nitro proofed and has very fine barrels, no real water table, and doesn't have the material to use the 577 barrels in it as a mono block.

The underlever is on the back burner as another project (I'm interested in doing a 25-25 Stevens build or something old and odd, maybe 43 mauser) but the unexpected shotgun sent to me will be used for the 577 build. And I have pics to add but they need to be a different post. I need to use my phone to post it and flicker isn't so phone friendly, so it's a separate post.
 
The first 2 pics are the barrels and action of the underlever. Showing no real water table and very fine(thin) barrels

The other 4 pics are the 577 barrels being machined and the muzzle size compared to the 16 gauge and the barrels next to the barrel set from the 16g ill use as a mono block

I plan to thread the barrels in the mono block using 13/16-20 threads for 25mm at the chamber end, then boring the rest of the mono block to 23.5 mm. After threading and setting headspace I'll solder the barrels into place making it one unit.


PXL_20250130_231846090 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr

PXL_20250130_231910633 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr

PXL_20250131_230522559 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr

PXL_20250201_023603913 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr

PXL_20250201_002728548 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr

PXL_20250201_023614399 by evan gbfdgd, on Flickr
 
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